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evidence · mechanism · dose
Supplements/Herb

Milk Thistle (Silymarin)

Hepatoprotective flavonolignan — best-known liver herb, often used around alcohol exposure.

Pre-Drinking SupportPost-Drinking RecoveryLiver Health

Overview

Hepatoprotective flavonolignan — best-known liver herb, often used around alcohol exposure.

Natural sources
    Common forms

      Mechanism of action

      Silibinin stabilizes hepatocyte membranes against toxins, raises GSH, and inhibits 5-LOX.

      Pathways
      • · Membrane stabilization
      • · GSH preservation
      • · Anti-fibrotic

      Effects on the body

      Organ system effects

      Evidence-based benefits

      Antidote for Amanita mushroom poisoning (IV)

      Strong evidence

      Mild ALT/AST improvement in chronic liver disease

      Limited evidence

      Potential side effects

      Common
      • · Mild GI
      Rare
        Serious

          Drug interactions

          CYP3A4 substrates
          Possible mild inhibition.
          minor

          Safety & non-supplemental interactions

          Educational summary — always confirm with your clinician or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or combining with prescription therapy.

          Avoid if you are
          • ·Pregnant or breastfeeding (insufficient safety data)
          • ·Children under 18 (unless directed by a clinician)
          Other notes
          • ·Discuss with a clinician if you have active liver disease or take hepatotoxic medications.

          Supplement interactions

          Pairs well with

          None listed.

          Avoid combining with

          No specific avoidances listed.

          Dosing & bioavailability

          Typical dose
          200–400 mg silymarin
          Study range
          Up to 700 mg
          With food?
          With food

          Where to buy

          Affiliate-style search links to reputable retailers. We don't endorse specific brands — verify third-party testing (USP, NSF, Informed Sport) before purchase.

          Herb
          Milk Thistle…
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          Wide selection · fast shipping
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          iHerb
          Global delivery · curated brands
          Herb
          Milk Thistle…
          Thorne
          Practitioner-grade · NSF tested

          Scientific evidence (9)

          Systematic reviewForsch Komplementmed · 2008

          Silymarin for alcoholic and viral liver disease

          Saller R, et al.

          Review of silymarin in liver disease.

          Key findings

          Reduced liver-related mortality in alcoholic cirrhosis.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Milk Thistle (Silymarin) — Antidote for Amanita mushroom poisoning

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Milk Thistle (Silymarin) Antidote for Amanita mushroom poisoning" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Silymarin) and "Antidote for Amanita mushroom poisoning". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Milk Thistle (Silymarin) — Mild ALT/AST improvement in chronic liver disease

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Milk Thistle (Silymarin) Mild ALT/AST improvement in chronic liver disease" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Silymarin) and "Mild ALT/AST improvement in chronic liver disease". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Milk Thistle (Silymarin) — randomized controlled trial

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Milk Thistle (Silymarin) randomized controlled trial" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Silymarin) and "randomized controlled trial". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Milk Thistle (Silymarin) — meta-analysis

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Milk Thistle (Silymarin) meta-analysis" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Silymarin) and "meta-analysis". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Milk Thistle (Silymarin) — pharmacokinetics

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Milk Thistle (Silymarin) pharmacokinetics" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Silymarin) and "pharmacokinetics". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Milk Thistle (Silymarin) — safety adverse events

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Milk Thistle (Silymarin) safety adverse events" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Silymarin) and "safety adverse events". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewPubMed (NLM) · 1970

          PubMed: Milk Thistle (Silymarin) — dose response

          Live PubMed search

          Live results for "Milk Thistle (Silymarin) dose response" across the PubMed/MEDLINE peer-reviewed index.

          Key findings

          Opens current human and preclinical literature matching Milk Thistle (Silymarin) and "dose response". Filter by RCT, meta-analysis, or year on the results page.

          Open study
          Systematic reviewGoogle Scholar · 1970

          Google Scholar: Milk Thistle (Silymarin) — clinical evidence

          Live Scholar search

          Cross-database citation index for Milk Thistle (Silymarin) as it relates to "clinical evidence".

          Key findings

          Includes preprints, theses, and journal articles. Useful for tracking citation counts and follow-on work.

          Open study
          Educational use only. This profile is not medical advice. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any supplement, especially if you take prescription medication or have a chronic condition.